The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has successfully completed a trial of a novel hydrogen combustion engine technology at Kirkwall Airport in Orkney, Scotland. This marks the first instance where hydrogen has been used to meet both the power and heat demands of a commercial airport in the UK. The system, manufactured by 2G, is the first 100% hydrogen combined heat and power (CHP) unit of its kind to be installed in the UK.
Positioned airside at Kirkwall Airport, the CHP unit was coupled with the airport’s existing heating system to supply heat to the main terminal building and power across the entire site. The trial was funded by the Scottish Government via Highlands and Islands Enterprise, with support from the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE) and Rural Energy Hubs projects. The collaboration involved representatives from EMEC and 2G, along with Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), which manages and operates Kirkwall Airport.
The CHP system utilized green hydrogen, supplied by EMEC, to generate electricity and recover by-product heat. During the trial, the CHP system operated at about 60% capacity, powering the airport terminal and runway lighting, and meeting the heating demand without the need for the airport’s boilers to run. Airport ground staff activated additional electrical loads to test the system, ensuring a steady output.
Leonore Van Velzen, Operations and Maintenance Manager at EMEC, highlighted the significance of the project: “This project was initially driven by an energy consumption study delivered by EMEC through the ReFLEX Orkney project, which identified key opportunities to decarbonise airport operations. Orkney is well-established as a hub for energy innovation, where new technologies and their roles in delivering a future clean energy system are demonstrated.”
Van Velzen emphasized the collaborative nature of the project, combining EMEC’s hydrogen expertise, 2G’s technical capabilities, and HIAL’s operational insight. “Seeing hydrogen deployed in a live airport environment is a significant step forward in exploring practical decarbonisation solutions, and we’re proud to have supported the safe delivery of this first-of-its-kind demonstration.”
Mark Holtmann, Managing Director at 2G, echoed the sentiment: “With over 10,000 CHP systems installed worldwide across a range of gas types, bringing our hydrogen CHP technology to Kirkwall Airport marks a significant milestone for 2G in the UK. Demonstrating how hydrogen can reliably deliver both power and heat in such a critical infrastructure setting is an important step towards decarbonising energy-intensive operations.”
Holtmann added, “This project showcases what’s possible when innovation and collaboration come together, and we’re proud to see 2G’s technology contributing to Scotland’s leadership in the transition to net zero aviation.”
The completion of this trial signifies a step toward assessing the real-world feasibility of integrating hydrogen technologies with airport infrastructure. The insights gained will contribute to wider efforts to explore low-carbon solutions across aviation and other sectors. This development could potentially accelerate the adoption of hydrogen technologies in other energy-intensive industries, fostering a broader shift towards sustainable energy solutions.